


Christmas Eve Stranger

by Liz2010



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Accidental kidnapping, Alternate Universe - No Hale Fire (Teen Wolf), Christmas Eve, Fluff, Kid Fic, M/M, Sheriff Stilinski's Name is John
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-08
Updated: 2019-12-08
Packaged: 2021-02-25 21:33:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,891
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21722296
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Liz2010/pseuds/Liz2010
Summary: “Mom says guest that show up on Christmas Eve are special. That they have to be taken care of.” All the kids nodded solemnly. Stiles joined in, even though he had never heard that before.“We’ll take Stiles home and hide him. Then he can pretend to show up tomorrow and Mom will take care of him and make him pack. Then he won’t be alone!”When a young Stiles is left alone for Christmas, the Hale children find him and take him home.
Relationships: Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski
Comments: 12
Kudos: 552
Collections: 12 Days of Sterek





	Christmas Eve Stranger

**Author's Note:**

> As always, I own nothing, and not beta read. All mistakes are mine.

“Stiles!” John said exasperatedly, as his son stopped suddenly for the hundredth time to stare at a brightly decorated window. He rolled his eyes and prayed for patience. 

There was a reason he usually stayed home with his kid while Claudia did the shopping. But Claudia was currently stuck in Poland, an ocean away. She had flown out due to her brother’s unexpected death and the subsequent funeral. He and Stiles had stayed behind, John due to work, and Stiles because the logistics of getting a four-year-old a passport and then flying half-way around the world with him was nearly impossible. She had planned to be back by now, but unfortunately, snowstorms in Poland had grounded the whole country. She was stuck. 

So, here he was, two days before Christmas, dragging his toddler through the mall to do all the last-minute shopping at a packed mall. 

Stiles was normally a good kid. He was smart as a whip, funny, kind, ridiculously empathetic, and energetic to the point of his parent’s exhaustion. But he was also a child who was missing his mama, making him even more of a handful than usual. He had been clingy and teary-eyed all day, ever since John told him he wasn’t sure if Claudia would be back home for Christmas. So John had brought him along, rather than leave him with Tara at the station. 

And right now, John was regretting it. It wouldn’t have been so bad, if it was just the toy stores that distracted him. But, no, his kid had to stop for every sparkly tree and twinkly light in every window. They were making terrible time, and John would have to head back to work soon. 

“Stiles.” John repeated, grabbing his son’s hand and pulling him towards their last store. 

“Sorry daddy.” Sad brown eyes looked up at him as little legs tried to keep up, and John regretted him impatience. He slowed his pace and tried to remember to breathe.

“It’s fine son. Just try a little harder to focus.”

They only made it a few more feet before John heard a commotion in the a few stores down. From the sound of the it, two grown men were fighting over the last PlayStation, or other stupid item. They were screaming and punching, making a scene. Security guards ran past looked a little scared, as more and more people began to gather around the fight. John wished he was in his uniform. The uniform alone was usually enough to break up squabbles like this, without having to wade into it. 

“Puppies! Daddy, can we look at puppies?” 

Stiles stopped yet again, face pressed up against the glass of the pet store where they usually stopped to pet the dogs. The kid loved puppies, kitties, animals of all kinds really. John was debating breaking down and getting one, but knew if he did, he would be the one taking care of it. 

“Not now Stiles.”

John was torn between helping the security guards and getting his son out of the mall before a mob started. The decision was made for him as one of the guards went down from a strong right hook. 

“Listen to me son.” John tilted Stiles chin away from the dogs to look at him. “I want you to stay out of the way and watch the dogs. Stay right here. I’ll be right back.

“Daddy, do you have to go work?” Stiles pouted. 

“Yes. I have to go to work.” He pressed a kiss to his son’s forehead, before asking the lady through the open pet stop window. “Ma’am can you watch him? I’m an officer and I need to go help.” 

The lady, who knew them on sight if not by name since they came in all the time, nodded and John ran off. 

Stiles watched his dad leave sadly. His mama had left, and now his daddy was gone too. The lady who was supposed to be watching him wandered off, when a customer came in the store and asked her to pick up a puppy. He let a few tears slip out as he watched the puppies play, climbing all over each other and yipping happily. It wasn’t fair. Even the puppies had brothers and sisters to play with. Stiles was all alone. 

Stiles was debating whether his sad feelings merited a full on melt down, when a bright voice called out beside him. 

“Guppies!”

A little girl, younger than him even, waddled over to plaster herself against the glass right next to Sties. 

“It’s puppies.” Stiles corrected kindly, smiling in spite of his tears. She was cute, all chubby checks and sweet baby smells. 

“Guppies,” The girl said agreeably. 

She turned away from the squirming dogs to look at Stiles, clear hazel eyes judging him. She frowned then held her hands up for the universal sign to be picked up. 

Stiles obeyed, hefting the baby up to his hip, even though her little feet still dragged on the ground. 

“No cry.” She said, laying her head sweetly on his shoulder. Stiles decided that he like the girl. He had always wanted a sister. 

“Nora!” Another girl came running out of the crowd, looking around ten or eleven, with her long brown hair done up in braids.

“Lor!” The baby said happily but didn’t let go of Stiles. 

The older girl skidded to a stop by them. “Derek, I found them,” she shouted out behind her.

The girl held her hands out for the baby, but Stiles clung to her and shook his head. He didn’t want to give her up. He didn’t have anyone, and he wanted to keep her. 

A boy, maybe eight or so, with pretty eyes and dark hair jogged up, holding hands with a girl about Stiles’ age. 

“Give me my sister.” The older girl demanded, stomping her foot. “Or else I’ll tell my mom and she’s rip you apart. With her teeth.”

Stiles didn’t want to be ripped apart. He put the baby down and the boy immediately scoped her up, backing a few steps away as if to protect his sisters. 

Stiles couldn’t help the tears that welled up at the loss. He was too tired and lonely not to cry. He wiped them away angrily, but the older girl still noticed. Her angry glare softened, as she noticed that Stiles was standing all alone. 

“Where’s your mom?” she asked.

Stiles shrugged. “Dad’s says she had to go on a trip. She’ll be back soon.”

“Where’s your dad?” 

Stiles looked around at the crowd John had disappeared into but saw no sign of his dad. 

“Gone, I guess.”

“You’re all alone?” The boy asked, brow scrunch up and sounding upset. 

Stiles nodded, and another tear ran down his cheek. 

“Laura.” The boy said worriedly, “He’s all alone. We should take care of him.”

Almost panickedly, the boy let go of the younger girl’s hand to search his pockets before shoving a slightly lint covered sucker out of his pocket at the younger boy. 

“Here.”

Stiles took the sucker happily, sticking it in his mouth as the boy took his sister’s hand back. 

Laura, the older girl apparently, chewed on her fingernail, looking at Stiles like his dad did sometimes. Like he was a problem that she had to solve.

“What’s your name?”

Stiles brightened at that, glad to no longer be talking about his lack of parents.

“Mischief.” He said, giving them his special mama's name that no one else used. 

Laura frowned. “You’re lying.”

Stiles frowned too. He wasn’t lying. He just wasn’t telling the whole truth.

“It’s Stiles.” That was the name is dad called him, since his real name was hard to say.

The younger girl giggled. “That’s not a real name.”

“It is too!” 

“Na huh.” 

Stiles crossed his arms angrily and huffed. “My real name is too hard.”

“Name’s can’t be hard. They’re just names.”

Laura took charge then, heading off what could be a very long fight. “What’s your last name then?”

Stiles thought. He knew it started with S, but it was hard too. His mama said it different then his dad, with a pretty accent, and he didn’t know who he was supposed to say it like.

“I don’t know.”

“Well, I’m Laura,” Laura said unnecessarily.

“This is Derek and Cora.” She pointed at the boy and girl who were still holding hands. 

“And that's Nora." Laura finished introductions by pointed at the baby perched on Derek's hip.

“Hi.” Stiles waved. He liked them already. Laura was bossy, but Nora was cuddly, and Cora had on a superman shirt under her unbuttoned winter coat, which was super cool. And Derek was pretty and nice. He had given him the sucker, which was nearly gone. 

Stiles took the candy out of his mouth and gave it back to the boy. 

“Your turn.”

Derek gave him a look but stuck the candy in his mouth anyway to crunch up the last little bit. 

“Where do you live?” Laura asked, still curious about the boy they had found, the boy that Nora had let pick her up, even though he didn’t smell like pack. 

“In a house by the park. Where do you live?”

“In a house too. It's in the woods.”

Stiles eyes lit up, bouncing on his feet. “Are you wolves? My Babcia says there are wolves in the woods.”

Laura’s eyes went wide as she looked over at Derek. His eyes flashed from hazel to a bright gold, panic written on his face.

“You are!” Stiles was thrilled. “You’re wolves!”

His babcia used to tell him stories about the wolves that lived in packs and protected the woods. They had special powers and they always got the bad guys, just like his dad. 

“Not so loud!” Laura said, slapping hand over his mouth. Stiles licked it and she let go, wiping it on her jeans. 

“We aren’t supposed to tell people. Mom is going to be mad at us.” Cora said seriously. “You might be a bad guy.” 

“I’m not bad!”

Derek nodded, taking Stiles side. “Nora wouldn’t have gone to him if he was bad.”

“Mom is still going to be mad!” Laura argued.

“She doesn’t have to know. We just won’t tell her when we get home.”

Laura looked uncertain, eyes flickering between her brother and Stiles. "We can’t take him with us. Mom will notice and then she will be really really super mad.”

“Laura, we can’t leave him. He’s all alone and he knows about us.” Derek finally let go of Cora’s hand and used his free arm to pull Stiles in close for a hug. He smelled like chocolate milk and Oreo cookies. Stiles pressed his head against the older boy’s chest to breathe it in deeply, taking comfort in being held.

“I want to take him too!” Cora said. 

“Itles” Nora demanded, clapping her little hands. 

Laura looked torn, thinking as she chewed on another nail, the first having been gnawed off already. 

“Mom says guest that show up on Christmas Eve are special. That they have to be taken care of.”

All the kids nodded solemnly. Stiles joined in, even though he had never heard that before. 

“We’ll take Stiles home and hide him. Then he can pretend to show up tomorrow and Mom will take care of him and make him pack. Then he won’t be alone!”

Nora clapped happily. 

“Derek give him your coat. We’ll cover his scent and Aunt Olivia will never know he’s in the car with us.”

Derek obediently pulled his coat off and traded it for Stiles'. He then took the younger boy’s hand and began to tug him towards the entrance where they were supposed to be meeting their aunt. 

“I can’t go.” Stiles said, stopping a few feet from the store. “Daddy said to stay and look at the puppies.”

“Don’t you want to be pack?” Derek asked, eyebrows furrowed making him look grumpy and old.

“Yes. But Daddy said stay with the puppies.”

“We have a puppy.” Derek said pleadingly. “You can come see our puppy. His name is Shadow.”

“He’s four!” Cora added in. “Like me.”

“I’m four too!” 

“We can be twins!”

Stiles had always wanted a twin. He nodded in agreement. Besides, his dad would understand; there were puppies at Derek’s house and Derek’s mama would tell his dad where he was. He took one hand of Derek’s and one of Cora’s and walked out of the mall. 

\-------

Laura was right. Aunt Olivia was so overwhelmed with the massive number of presents in her hands, the crazy traffic and all kids yelling for snacks that she wouldn't give them that she didn’t notice the extra child in her care, especially because Laura forced Stiles to sit on the floor in the back, hidden by all bags. 

Getting into the house was harder, because there were grown up’s everywhere. They had to be sneaky, going in the back door when Aunt Olivia’s husband came to help unpack the van.

“You can stay in my room.” Derek said, blushing slightly. “Cora’s staying in there too, cause Aunt Beth and Aunt Violet are staying in her's.”

“Your family is huge!” 

“Yeah.” He agreed apparently out of words for now. Stiles didn’t mind. He could talk enough for both of them. He started telling Derek about his mama’s trip and how his dad fought bad guys, just like the wolves did, telling Derek about how he would be a superhero one day, because he was a wolf. 

Derek blushed some more, as he led Stiles to a room upstairs, opening the door to show a rather tidy room. It had one proper bed, though there was a mattress made up on the floor. More importantly, there were tons of superhero figures on the shelves, more than Stiles could ever want. 

Stiles couldn’t help himself. He dove into the toys, dragging them out one by one and making up stories about them, running with them around the room as best he could while hindered by Cora trailing behind him and moving them as soon as he set them down, yelling that Superman didn’t fight the Joker, Stiles, this isn’t right. 

Eventually Stiles got tired of playing, worn out from his big day. He abandoned his toys, leaving them strung out all over the once clean room, and partially over Cora, who had fallen asleep curled up on the floor. He sat down on Derek’s bed, yawning. It was comfy and he wrapped himself in a blanket, oblivious to Derek’s wide-eyed stare at the way he was blatantly getting his scent all over Derek’s stuff. 

“Kids, dinner!”

The call jerked all the kids upright, Cora’s eyes flashing as she ran from the room and downstairs. Stiles jumped out of bed with Derek close on his heals, both hurrying out of the room towards the enticing smell of food. 

They were halfway down the stairs when Laura caught up to them, Nora tucked under one arm like a football, grabbing Stiles arm and pulling him to a stop. 

“You can’t go downstairs.” Laura rolled her eyes. “Mom can’t see you until Christmas Eve. Duh.”

“Du!” Nora echoed. 

Stiles’ mouth turned down and he crossed his arms. He was hungry, and he didn’t want to sit upstairs alone. 

“I’ll get you some food.” Derek promised, hands twisting his shirt like he wanted to grab onto Stiles and not let go. 

Stiles slowly and sadly made his way back up the stairs, feeling Derek’s eyes on him the entire time. He sat down on Derek's floor and waited. 

\-------

“Here.” 

Stiles woke with a start, as Derek pressed a cookie, a dinner roll, and a small piece of ham into his hands, a solemn looking dog at his side. 

“Puppy!” 

Stiles was in heaven as he cuddled with the dog, eating the food Derek had brought him while trying to stay away from puppy kisses that he didn’t really mind. 

“Thanks” Stiles said finally remember he manners after the food was gone and the dog had wandered out of the room, now that there was no longer food.

“You’re welcome.” Derek replied, smiling that soft little smile that made Stiles giggle. “Mom says it’s bedtime, but I think it’s just cause the grown ups want some quiet. Aunt Olivia has a headache.”

Derek walked over to his dresser and pulled out a set of Batman pajamas, holding them out for Stiles.

“Cool! Batman is the coolest, you know, cause his superpower is that he is super smart and has a bunch of neat tools. I want a Bat-mobile someday, but Mama says I’ll get the jeep instead. Which is pretty cool too. It’s blue. Blue is by favorite color, just like it’s Mama’s. Maybe I could get a Bat-Mobile and paint it blue.”

Derek nodded along to Stiles blathering as they both changed, but Stiles could tell he was really listening, not just pretending to listen, like a lot of people did. 

“I like you.” Stiles announced, bouncing on the bed. “I’m glad we are going to be pack.”

“I like you too.” Derek’s eyes were wide and he wouldn't look Stiles in the face. “Want me to read to you?”

“Yeah.” Stiles nodded eagerly. “Mama always reads to me before bed, because I can’t yet and Daddy always works at night.”

Derek grabbed a book off the shelf, but just as they settled into bed, Cora came into the room, hair wet from a bath. 

“No fair!” She yelled at Derek, trying to drag Stiles out of bed. “I brought Stiles Superman PJ’s to wear. I want him to smell like me.”

“Too bad, he smells like me.”

Stiles wrinkled his nose. He didn’t want to smell like anyone. 

Cora opened her mouth wide and began to wail the sound of an overtired and overexcited child. Derek flashed his eyes gold as he told her to shut up but she continued to howl.

“Mom’s going to come up here Cora. Then we are all going to get in trouble.” Derek, whined, tiredness apparent in his voice too. 

“Here,” Stiles took the PJ’s from Cora. “I’ll wear Superman’s shirt and Batman’s pants. That way I’m both of yours.”

That seemed to satisfy both of the wolves. Cora stopped crying and climbed on the bed with Stiles and Derek, as they settled in to listen to Derek read. Derek read nice. He was slow and stumbled over some of the hard words, but he did good voices. Stiles drifted off too quickly be properly homesick, his head full of the sound of his new friend's voice making his stomach feel warm.   
________

It took Stiles a moment to remember where he was in the morning, but when he did, he sighed sleepily and content. Derek was plastered against his back, while Cora had curled up over their feet. At some point, Laura had come in and brought Nora, who was laying across the top of the pillow, while Laura had forced the boys to the very edge of the bed so that she would have half. It was warm and it felt safe, listening to the other’s breathing steadily.

Stiles couldn’t stay still for long though, no matter how comfortable he was, and soon he was squirming, ready to get up and play. His wiggling woke Cora up, who in turn woke the others. Stiles was glad that he could leave Derek’s room today. It was a cool room but he was really hungry. He jumped on Derek while throwing small toys at Laura until they all got up. 

They ran downstairs in a herd, crashing into the kitchen, where several adults were gathered, most of them still in their sleep clothes as well. 

Derek muttered the names of his family members already assembled as they took plates off the counter sat at the table and began to load up with the food, Laura helping Nora and Derek helping Cora and Stiles. 

Aunt Olivia, who Stiles had kinda met, was helping Uncle Peter cook even more pancakes on the stove. They were holding hands and looking at each other with lovesick faces. Stiles made a face at them, even though it made him feel warm in his tummy, like when his Mama and Daddy kissed when he got home from work. 

Grandma Eve was making coffee at the counter. Aunt Beth and Aunt Violet sat at the far end of the table, the later only picking at the food as she rubbed a hand over what was a very pregnant belly. Uncle Jacob was apparently a late riser, but would be up soon because it was Christmas Eve.

“That’s Dad.” Derek whispered as a tall man with a smile on his face walked in, greeted the children and grabbed a plate. 

“His name is James. Mom’s is Talia.” Laura added in with the self-importance that only an older child could, shoving mushed up pancakes into her baby sisters face with one hand as she ate bacon with the other. 

James sat across from the kids, sipping coffee and slowly eating his breakfast. Stiles, who had scarfed his down, sat and watched him, curious what a grown-up wolf was like.

After a long moment and half of a cup of coffee, James looked up and noticed Stiles staring. He cocked his head to the side and called out. ‘Honey, how many kids do we have?”

“Four!”

James gave Stiles a little wave, then winked, not looking worried at all by the strange kid sitting across form him. “Then we have someone else’s kid in our kitchen.”

Peter and Olivia whipped around from the stove to stare at Stiles, while the other two Aunts gasped, Aunt Beth fanning her face, scandalized. Grandma Eve looked amused, as she settled in for the show. 

There was a crash, then a regal looking woman came rushing into the kitchen, somehow still looking composted, even as she panted for breath. 

Stiles gave his winning smile, the one he always gave his mom when he got caught sneaking cookies before dinner even though his knee was bouncing nervously. 

“Hi.”

Chaos broke out as all the adults talked over each other. Talia and James began arguing loudly, the aunts breaking in when they could, while Uncle Peter smirked, and Grandma Eve laughed. It was loud, too loud and it made Stiles’ stomach ache, though that could have been from all the pancakes. The other kids squirmed nervously as well. Laura chewed her nail, while Cora bounced in her chair. Derek grabbed Stiles’ hand under the counter and held on tight. 

Finally, Derek’s mom shouted for silence and everyone went quiet and still, just like magic. 

“Wow.” Stiles breathed. “You really are magic.”

Talia’s eyes were suddenly solely on Stiles and he scrunched down under her stare, tying to look as small and innocent as possible. 

“Why do you think I’m magic?”

Stiles wasn’t dumb. He knew the other kids were worried about their mom thinking Stiles knew about wolves, they had said as much. He hesitated, not wanting anyone to get in trouble, looking down at his syrup covered plate. 

“I dunno.”

Talia turned to Derek, the child least likely to lie to her, like Stiles was currently doing. 

“Derek, what is going on?”

Her son’s eyes filled with tears and he squeezed Stiles’ hand so hard it hurt. “He was all alone! We couldn't just leave him. I needed to take care of him Mom.”

Talia took a deep breath. Derek couldn’t help how emotion he got, but it wasn’t helping the situation. “Laura. Explain now. Do not lie to me young lady.”

“We found Stiles at the mall. He was all alone and he knew we were wolves. So, we brought him here for Christmas Eve. He can be our special guest and you’ll make him pack.”

Talia’s thoughts raced as she tried to comprehend the story her kids told here. 

“Your name is Stiles?”

Stiles nodded. “But I don’t know my last name.”

“How did you know we were wolves?”

Stiles looked up at her hopefully. She didn’t seem mad. She wasn’t yelling like Mama did, and she didn’t have the frowny lines that Daddy did when he got upset. 

“Babcia said there were wolves in the woods. That they would always protect me.”

Peter barked out a laugh. “Looks like we aren’t keeping our secret as well as you had hoped oh Alpha, if a four year old can figure it out.”

Talia ignored her baby brother, grateful that Stiles knowing their secret was the result of an old grandmother’s story, not some sort of hunter trap. 

“Stiles, where are your parents? Does anyone know where you are?”

“Mama is far away and can’t come back right now. Daddy is probably at work or sleeping, so if we go to my house, we have to be quiet.”

“Where’s your house? Do you know your address.”

“I don’t know.”

Talia looked at her husband. “Any ideas?”

James shrugged and started clearing the plates. “We do the same thing anyone else does when a lost kid shows up. We call the police.”

“Hey, my daddy works for the police. He is the best police officer ever and keeps all the bad guys away.”

Talia finally let herself relax. 

“Let’s call your daddy.”

\-------

“Your dad is on his way.”

“OK” Stiles said, looking up from where he was coloring in the living room, Derek and Cora on either side of him while Laura watched TV and Nora napped. 

He was glad his daddy was coming. He like the family he had found, that had found him, but he missed his own too. Wolf cuddles were nice, but he missed his Dad’s strong hugs and his Mama’s bedtime kisses. 

Derek let out a little noise that sounded like a whine, then sniffed loudly.

Laura huffed from her seat on the couch, annoyed at the interruption of her show.

“Why are you being a baby Derek?”

“Cause Stiles is going away and I don’t want him to.” He ended his sentence with a wail, throwing down the crayon. 

Stiles began to get upset as well, face going red as he hugged Derek around the middle, the older boys quiet sobs shaking both of them.

Talia stepped in and knelt down beside the pair, not wanting an accidental kidnapping incident to scare her son for life, as it was apparently getting close to doing. 

“It’s OK. It’s okay to be sad, but Stiles doesn’t live here. He needs to go home and live with his parents. But you can still see each other. You can still be friends.”

“Best friends? Forever and ever?” Derek asked hopefully, tears slowing down.

“Yes.”

“No!” Stiles squeezed even tighter. “No. Best friends are aren’t always friends forever.”

“Are too.” Cora augured, crossing her arms.

“Are not. Heather used to be my best friend, but she moved away and now I never see her.”

Cora’s eyes went wide at the though. Derek stared crying again and Stiles joined in, waking Nora up from her nap. She began to fuss, adding to the din.

James came into the living to grab the baby, because Talia’s hands were full with the sobbing Derek and Stiles. James pressed a kiss to Talia’s forehead in solidarity of just how difficult parenting could be. 

Stiles watched the exchange though teary eyes, then suddenly stopped crying. 

“Derek, you should marry me!”

“Why?” Derek asked, not looking as disinterested as Talia would think her eight-year-old might. 

“Because friends might move away, but Mama and Daddy stay together forever.”

“Alright,” Derek agreed happily, before kissing Stiles’ forehead exactly the same way James had just done for Talia. 

James laughed at the kids, amused and thinking this would just be a faze, that both boys would forget about it tomorrow. 

Talia didn’t. She was concerned about how upset Derek had been at Stiles leaving, of how he had responded to the idea of being separated. It wasn’t unheard of for wolves to meet their mates this young. Unusual, but not impossible. 

“You have to wait until you’re both grownups. No one is getting married until you are both adults.” Talia finally said, and the boys nodded seriously, still cuddled up together on her lap. She looked up hopelessly at her husband. 

“I guess we should start planning a wedding.”

\--------

John didn’t even shut his car door as he raced into the house, sirens still blaring. He jerked open the door without knocking, nearly taking Peter’s head off. 

“Where my son?” He asked frantically, looking wrinkled, tired and as worried as a father who had spent all night looking for his child might. “Is he OK?”

“Daddy!” Stiles squealed, running from the living room to his dad. 

John picked up his son and held him close, tears spilling out of his eyes. “I came back and you were just gone. I was so scared. Don’t you ever do that to me again!”

“I won’t Daddy.” Stiles promised earnestly. He let his father hold him for a long moment, before squirming to be put down. 

“Come meet my Derek. We’re going to get married.” He said, taking his dad’s hand and trying to pull him down the hall towards Derek.

John looked bewildered at Talia, who was standing quietly watching reunion. 

She held out her hand in greeting. “Talia Hale. Why don’t we let the kids play a little longer and I’ll get you some coffee. We have some things to talk about.”

~20 years later~

Derek dogged yet another younger cousin playing chase with a laugh as he balanced two plates and headed for the living room. He handed one to Stiles, who was sitting on the couch, before sitting down beside him. 

“Thanks,” Stiles said, pressing a kiss to Derek’s cheek. 

“Ewww. Dad, they’re being gross again.” Lilly, Peter’s youngest daughter tattled, before running off to cause more mayhem in the kitchen.

Derek blushed slightly, looking down at his plate.

“I think it’s cute.” Claudia said, brushing her hand over Derek’s shoulder as she walked to the kitchen to get herself and John a plate as well. 

The other adults chimed in as well, each saying how cute and sweet they thought Stiles and Derek were as a couple, until both men were properly blushing.

It wasn't that Derek was embarrassed. He was proud to be Stiles' boyfriend. It was just that they hadn’t been dating long, only since Stiles had come home from college a more mature and confident person, to find that Derek was a more open and communicative man as well. Derek simply wasn’t used to PDA’s yet.

It wasn’t like they had been strangers even before they started dating . They had stayed friends as children; all the Hale children did. Cora and Stiles had ended up in the same first grade class, and he came over a lot to play. Then Claudia had gotten sick, then eventually had been offered and taken the bite. Then Stiles became pack properly, and they had gotten even closer. 

But romance had always been out of the question. Stiles had always been too much younger, too childish to even thing about dating and Derek had been far too shy to express his slowly growing feelings. Derek went to college in New York without having admitted to his crush, and so was forced to make due with only talking to the kid over Skype and texts. Then, right as Derek moved back home, Stiles went off to college. In the end, they were apart almost eight years, only seeing each other over summers.

Until Stiles managed to land a job in Beacon Hill right out of school and came home. They had run into each other at the store only days after Stiles moved back, meeting in the cookie aisle, each buying Oreo’s. Stiles had joked they should just go over to his place and split some. He had smelled so wonderful, looked so beautiful, and sounded so earnest that Derek had kissed him right then. They had been dating ever since, a whirlwind romance full of movie nights, walks in the preserve, and late night kisses that ended in sleepy, sheet filled mornings. 

And now they were smushed together on the couch, watching the Hale pack children open their Christmas present’s on Christmas Eve. The adults laughed and drank, making a wonderful din of Christmas cheer. 

Stiles stood and mingled for a bit, stopping to laugh happily at a joke Aunt Beth told him, glancing at Derek, who wasn’t acting at all like himself. Derek wasn’t normally an outgoing guy, but with his family he wasn’t normally this quiet. His leg tapped and he didn’t seem to be focused on the conversations going on around him. 

“Are you OK?” Stiles slid back in beside his boyfriend to ask.

“Yea.” 

Derek wouldn't meet his eyes. Stiles didn’t have to be a werewolf to know he was lying. 

“Come on,” he said, pulling Derek up and outside, where the night air was cold and crisp. 

Derek didn’t stop on the porch on Stiles had planned, bring them into the yard, where a thin layer of snow lay, the white crystal sparkling from Christmas lights that hung from each tree.

Finally, Derek stopped, far enough from the house that the noise was barely audible even for the wolf. 

“Do you remember our first Christmas?”

“You mean when you kidnapped me?” Stiles teased, not like the seriously look on Derek’s face and trying to make him smile.

“You came willingly.” Derek replied, face softening as they replayed the old argument. “No, I mean the next day. Our first Christmas Eve together.”

“Vaguely.” Stiles’ heart skipped at the lie. He remembered it very well.

“Do you remember what you asked me?”

Stiles’ breath hitched as Derek sunk to one knee in the snow, looking radiant in the twinkling light. 

“Yes.” Stiles whispered. 

Derek took Stiles’ hand a pressed a kiss to it before pulling at a box. “You asked me once. Now it’s my turn.”

Stiles’ heart raced as he froze, too surprised to even move. Derek flipped open the box to show off the gold band.

“Stiles, will you marry me? Be mine forever?”

The pack had poured out of the house to watch, Claudia having overheard what was happening. They all stood silently waiting with bated breath, even though everyone knew what the answer would be. The couple didn’t even notice. They only had eyes for each other. 

Stiles finally found his voice, though it shook as he answered, joyful tears in his eyes. “I was always yours. Always.”

Derek grinned broadly as he slipped the ring on Stiles’ long finger, then stood to wrap his arms around his fiancé. In that moment, Derek felt ethereal, as the accumulation of twenty years of friendship, of pack, of love came to a head. He could hear his pack cheering them from the porch. He could smell Stiles’ affection, his excitement, his love, all overwhelming him until all could do was hold tight to Stiles. All he had ever really wanted was in his arms.

He pressed a kiss to Stiles’ lips. It was going to be a wonderful life.


End file.
